The Sonata in D minor may well be regarded as a transitional work, it does, however, reveal a number of qualities quite new in Martinů's oeuvre, notably those of moderation and balance. Although it was written following the composer's three-year residence in Paris, this sonata gives the impression of having arisen largely from musical material acquired by Martinů while he was still in Prague. Frequently in this work we witness the struggle between the composer's former style and those newer expressive means (particularly jazz rhythms), with which he had become acquainted during the period of his studies with Albert Roussel. Alongside such early Parisian milestones as the orchestral works Half-Time, H 142 (1924) and Vřava, H 155 (La Bagarre, 1926) or the Three Czech Dances for piano, H 154 (1926) or, in particular, the String Quartet No. 2, H 150 (1925), this sonata would still appear to be an immature work.
Aleš Březina, Martinů: Works for Violin and Piano, © 1999 Supraphon Music a.s